By Chuck Corder

Robert Balkum is just looking for a little fun.

Whether it’s from the perch of his familiar No. 52 Bombers car at Five Flags Speedway or engaging in playful trash talk online or in the pits, the 38-year-old driver’s only goal in life seems to be enjoying it.

On or off the track, Balkum rarely gets rattled. But even Balkum’s cool head felt a rush of anger when he read Robert Loper’s comments before the season about Mobile-area drivers’ dominance of the Butler U-Pull-It Bombers division since late 2014.

“It doesn’t seem like the Pensacola guys have the will and the drive that we do,� Loper told to 5flagsspeedway.com back in March. “I guess they didn’t do their homework. They have the same abilities as we do. I don’t know what it is. I know we’re not scared to drive our cars.�

Buoyed by those comments, Balkum renewed his focus.

Earlier this month, Balkum ended a nearly, two-year drought for Pensacola Bombers drivers when he scored just his second career feature win.

“That interview with Loper may have put more fire in me this year, as far stepping up, than anything ever has,� admitted Balkum, who helps run Balkum Automotive, the family business, on Fairfield Drive. “That had me on fire all the way up to the first race. When we finished ahead of him come that first race, it just gave me more fire.�

His hard work and dedication has paid off this season.

Balkum will enter Five Flags this Friday night with a 15-point lead against Mobile-area driver B.J. Leytham in the Butler U-Pull-It Bombers standings.

The Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Models are geared up for another round of twin 50 lappers. The Beef “O� Brady’s Pro Trucks and the Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen round out a Friday night that will see all active-duty military members get through the gates for free.

Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors, retired military and students; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; and free for kids 5 and under. The gates open at 4 p.m. Friday.

Before Balkum’s win on June 10, the last Pensacola-area Bombers driver to find his way to Victory Lane was two-time track champion Michael Nelson on Sept. 5, 2014.

With the exception of a few drivers, such as Leytham, Balkum confidently believes there’s a direct reason to all the success Mobile-area Bombers have enjoyed during the last 20 months.

“They’re working the rule book,� Balkum said. “We’re taking a car and going to have fun. They’re not breaking the rules, but they’re certainly bending it to their advantage. As far B.J. and them, that’s whole another story. B.J.’s car is on a different level.�

While Nelson and Balkum both won features in 2014, much of that season along with last season’s storylines centered on the success of Mobile-area drivers.

Leytham, owner of two Bombers Snowball Derby crowns (2013-2014), and Geno Denmark in addition to Loper and David Johnson all began capturing checkered flags at Pensacola’s high banks.

“I don’t like or want to be enemies,� Balkum said. “But they know I talk stuff about them because they do it, too. And, I mean at the same time, I think they know it in the back of their heads. To win 18, 20 races in row, you know you’re doing something. That’s unheard of.�

Balkum believes he can back up his claims that the boys from across Mobile Bay are cutting corners.

“I have Matt Jackson’s car at my shop, and it’s the same kinda car I got,� Balkum said. “But, yet, that car looks a lot different than my car. And he won a track championship over there in Mobile with it.�

Instead of playing sleuth forever, though, Balkum has put his energy in chopping down his Mobile rivals one by one on the speedway.

With the help of sponsors — such as Liquor Paradise and Valerie Prevatte, a local criminal defense attorney — and a patient approach on the famed half-mile asphalt, Balkum is determined to win his first career track title at Five Flags.

“Valerie Prevatte has helped me out every race, as far as buying tires. That’s been one of my downfalls, not putting fresh rubber on the car,� Balkum said. “I’m almost at a point with the car where I don’t wanna do anything to it outta fear I might slow it down. Even though I need to get faster.

“We’re not as quite as fast as B.J. Although, I don’t think we’ll ever be that fast.�

As he continues his quest in learning how to compete on a level playing field with the Mobile drivers, Balkum is determined to help Pensacola be well-represented in the Bombers class.

He wants to try to resuscitate the careers of proven winners, such as Nelson and others, so that Friday night racing can be fun again.

“I wanna bring back Rocky Boyd and Donald Hardy, guys like that. I learned everything I know about asphalt racing from following Rocky Boyd,� Balkum said. “I wanna start helping all of the Pensacola drivers understand the rules better where we, too, can bend the rules, but it’s not cheating because it doesn’t say so in the rules.�